Multimedia content provided over conventional television systems or over the Internet offer little or no ability for the user to modify the audio accompanying this content. In a television broadcast, the user cannot change the audio portion of the broadcast. The audio content of the television broadcast is predetermined before reaching the television viewer and allows no customization by the television viewer.
At many Internet web sites, there is no audio available while viewing web page content. An Internet user sometimes can select an MPEG type file to be downloaded or streamed to their computer. In these cases, however, the user is not provided methods to change the audio portion of the multimedia presentation, but rather, is passively receiving audio content that has been pre-selected for the web site by its operator. Some Internet web sites provide background music while a user is viewing its web pages. However, such web sites typically do not offer the user the opportunity to select from different choices of music. In many situations, the music turns off when the user changes to a different web page of the web site, such that the music does not accompany the perusal through the entire web site. Sometimes, the only option available to the user to turn the music off or on, and even then, it is often difficult for the user to turn such audio off—the audio launches automatically upon opening of the web page or controls for the music are difficult to locate and use.
Some web sites provide a pre-recorded human voice, upon user request, to give audio instructions that aid the viewer in navigating their site. These sites, however, offer little or no ability for the user to modify the human voice audio content to their personal preferences. The user cannot select different human voices (e.g., male, female, male child, etc.) or otherwise personalize what the pre-recorded human voice says.
Thus, while some Internet web sites do offer audio content and some simple control over the audio content, customization to suit a particular user's preferences are often lacking. As described above, user customization of audio content for television is virtually unavailable.